Interviewer: For our world superstar, our Argentinian pride, from the staff of Perros de la Calle [have some gifts Leo].
Leo: Thank you very much.
Interviewer: We brought you some Dulce de Leche… for Thiago. Does he know what Dulce de Leche is?
Leo: Yes, he knows…
Interviewer: Does he like it?
Leo: Yeah… I give him some once in a while… when his Mom doesn’t see me… (Laughs)
—-
Interviewer: What I wonder about your son is… what do you or Antonella tell him about Argentina? I mean, so he knows that he’s living in another country but he’s Argentinian. How do you manage that? Do you watch movies or cartoons so he knows the culture from there and not only here?
Leo: No, honestly right now not so much because he’s still very young, he doesn’t understand… he doesn’t understand anything. He’s just a one year old so when he grows up a little bit more he will realize things, where he comes from, where we come from, where we live now and all that stuff. He goes to Argentina a lot, same as me and Antonella… right now he doesn’t understand anything but he will realize things soon.
Interviewer: But for example, do you play Argie music for him or anything like that? Or everything is in Catalan?
Leo: Nah, we show him everything. From here, from there. He really likes cartoons and other things, but from both places.
Interviewer: Have you showed him a ball yet?
Leo: Yeah…
Interviewer: …And?
Leo: He likes it, he likes it…
Interviewer: But does he have the genes or not? Because that’s what everybody wants to know, even the people from Barcelona. I think they already signed him up…
Leo: I don’t know, I don’t know. I think he’s right-footed…
Interviewer: NOOOOOOOOO!!! But why???
Leo: Yeah, because the first leg he uses is the right one but we’re not sure yet, we’re not sure…
Interviewer: Maybe he’s going to be a right-back…
Leo: But we’re not sure yet, we’ll see later and if he doesn’t end up being a footballer there’s no problem at all…
Interviewer: But wait, tell me more. So, if you give him a ball the first foot he uses is his right one, tell me about the first time you did it?
Leo: Well, actually the first time he used his left foot…
Interviewer: Ohhhhhh!!! And you celebrated?
Leo: Yeah!! (Laughs)
Interviewer: And?
Leo: Well, he kicked the ball with his left foot… But later he was using both and now that he grew up a little bit more he uses his right foot and sometimes his left, it’s not very clear yet.
Interviewer: Ambidextrous maybe?
Leo: Um, I think he’s right-footed…
Interviewer: Let’s say you give him a movie, a toy or a ball, what does he pick?
Leo: The ball. he chooses the ball.
Interviewer: Ohhhhh!!! Yes, good. Everybody can breathe now, especially the people from Barcelona. Did they really sign him up?
Leo: Nah, they just made him a member I think. He’s member of many clubs and he doesn’t even know… (Laughs)
Interviewer: Really? What clubs are those?
Leo: (Laughing) I don’t know, I don’t know. But many clubs sent him shirts and member cards…
Interviewer: Well, they’re not idiots. And your Dad is a member from Newell’s, right?
Leo: Yeah, they also made him a member there…
—-
Interviewer: When was the last time you actually paid for something?
Leo: Well, I pay for things everyday. When I go to the supermarket, when…
Interviewer: Wait a minute, does Messi really go to the supermarket?
Leo: Yeah well, sometimes… (Laughs) Actually, Antonella is who always goes…
Interviewer: That’s what I wanted to ask before because people often think of you as a god-like person. Does Antonella tell you everything like it is? Like go wash the dishes, do something here in the house, I’m tired of being the whole day taking care of everything, help me a little bit…
Leo: Yeah…
Interviewer: Is that the kind of relationship you have?
Leo: Yeah, obviously. We’ve known each other since we were practically seven years old and well, beyond the fact that this happened to me and I got to live what I’ve lived, our relationship grew a lot. Same with my family, my parents, my siblings, it’s very normal…
Interviewer: What’s your position when you play at home? In Barcelona and the NT you wear the #10 shirt, but what’s your position in your own house?
Leo: A little bit of everything. When we play at home…
Interviewer: No, no. I mean, in your relationship with your girlfriend. What’s your role in your house? Are you a defender? On the bench? The number 10 is the boss? Who is the Captain, Leo?
Leo: Ohhhh! (Laughs) I don’t know. We try to help each other, I try to do stuff in the house, especially things with the baby. Because Antonella is practically the whole day with Thiago and it’s not easy to take care of a one year old so I try to help her when I can.
Interviewer: Ok Leo, just answer yes or no. Did you change his diapers?
Leo: Yes.
Interviewer: Did you warm up his baby bottles?
Leo: Antonella breastfeeds him so no.
Interviewer: Did you wake up in the middle of the night so Antonella wouldn’t have to do it?
Leo: No.
Interviewer: (Laughs) I like your honesty! Um, did you make up a bedtime story to help him sleep at night?
Leo: What?
Interviewer: Did you make up a bedtime story for him?
Leo: No, no, no. Honestly he doesn’t need it. He watches cartoons, then eats and goes to sleep without a problem. He goes to bed late and he wakes up late in the morning.
-ananya